Can anyone recommend a good DOCUMENTARY DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Richard F]

The two disc set Blue Planet,produced by the BBC,is an extremely well done documentary about the sea and all its wildlife.The photography is beautiful,much of it amazing.It includes animals and plants,from the whales to the smallest species that inhabit the ocean floor. We are shown many strange,unusual creatures that live deep in the ocean and learn about the food chain that starts with the tiny plankton that eventually supports larger and larger predators up to the whales.The audio and video quality is excellent,refernce quality.Highly recommended.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

An amazing account of a 17 year old Austrailian boy's solo voyage around the globe by yacht is Lionheart: The Jesse Martin Story. He shot a video diary on DV, and the soundtrack is excellent. This is a very inspiring feature, and highly recommended.

 

[Peter Kline]

"Jazz On A Summer's Day". Fashion photographer Bert Stern made his one and only movie at the Newport Jazz Festival. The DVD is not perfect but is still worth renting if you like classic jazz ( and some rock 'n roll thrown in). Also contains a "making of" documentary. Mr. Stern was no shy violet.

 

[Jon_W]

I will second The Celluloid Closet and For All Mankind

 

[Ron Eastman]

I second Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie. Highly interesting both as a documentary and for it's visual and sonic appeal. It will likely stoke your interest in the Manhattan Project and compel you to check out sites like Trinity Atomic Web Site.
For a more uplifting documentary but with just as much visual and educational appeal, I will third (or is it 4th?) For All Mankind from the Criterion Collection. I can watch this over and over and never get bored of seeing man's adventures on the moon. Watching this will make you wonder why we aren't stepping up our efforts to further venture into space with great haste.

 

[Scott Beaver]

I'd like to second Super Speedway. The quality of both the audio and video are terrific. It's so enveloping that I actually got a little scared at times (those walls are coming at you pretty quick wheny you're going 200mph). What a ride!
-Beave

 

[Scott H]

I'm lookin for a documentary DVD that was good picture, sound, and is over all interesting to watch.

While I just watched Startup.com this week, and very much enjoyed it as others here did, I would not say that it had good picture or sound. This has nothing to do with the DVD, but the project itself. Technically it appears as though shot by anyone with a consumer video camera, but it is totally effective, and IMO interesting to watch. It is also a timely subject.

 

[Mike Friedrich]

A really new and good human interest documentary is Dark Days . It's about urban city dwellers living a life underground, it's in B&W which really adds to the situations in hand.
I'm also all for HBO's America Undercover series on Dvd, another title from them is Black Tar , hint, hint HBO ?
bodymov'n

 

[Andrea W]

Dolphins: IMAX (narrated by Pierce Brosnan)

 

[Trace Ahlers]

I second "Cosmos".

The video is a bit dated. They added some digital effects but it's 5.1, sounds good. Mainly though, it's very good and very informative.

Trace

 

[Jeffrey Wiffen]

Mr. Death must be seen by all!

 

[Robb Hudspeth]

One Day In September plays like a thriller. It's the greatest documentary I've ever seen. Damn this film is good. Click Link Removed to learn more.

 

[Robb Hudspeth]

It's not out on DVD yet (still in theaters), but when it comes along (no pun intended) I suggest Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy. Just saw it a few days ago. It's HILARIOUS! Although, I would have come up with a different title, like... Porn Star: A Schlub with a Schlong.

 

[Jeff_HR]

I would greatly recommend the PBS 7 part boxset "New York".

It is the best documentary I've seen since "Connections" & "The Ascent of Man".

 

[Henry Gale]

Mike,
My recomendation is not a DVD, it's not even in print. Before Terry Zwigoff made Ghost World there was the priviously mentiond Crumb. And 9 years before that came his first creation, Louie Bluie (1985). The subject is Howard Armstrong, best know as a member of the black string band, Martin Bogan and Armstrong.
Here's a director signature for you, both Crumb and Armstrong like to drawn pornography erotic art and their work is featured. I haven't watched my Ghost World DVD yet but isn't there a raunchy sketch pad scene in it? Seems I remember that from the theater viewing.
Jim

 

[Malcolm R]

Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport It won Oscar for Documentary Feature last year.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Mr. Death
The Awful Truth seasons 1 & 2

 

[Richard F]

I would recommend any of the PBS productions.So far I have watched Napoleon and Lewis and Clark,both excellent.I also have Thomas Jefferson which I'm sure will be just as good.I've heard Mark Twain is also excellent.

 

[Julie K]

I've got to second (or third?) the dinosaur recommendations:
Walking With Dinosaurs
Allosaurus
Walking With Prehistoric Beasts
These are the perfect DVDS - great story, beautiful transfers, and great extras.
On the mockumentary side:
Forgotten Silver - tells the story of film pioneer Colin McKenzie who invented all sorts of wonders but never got a break due to incredibly bad luck and timing. An absolute hilarious (and at times sad) little film from jokster Peter Jackson.
Six Days in Roswell - from the same folks who did Trekkies. An absolute riot.

 

[Kevin Matthews]

Woodstock
Gimme Shelter
Haxan
Walking With Dinosaurs
are all great discs.
COSMOS is a must have in my opinion, and I don't find the image quality to be all that bad, certainly not bad enough to distract me from enjoying this great series.
A film that I wish would come to DVD is
The Atomic Cafe'
..an outstanding & disturbing look at 40's & 50's nuclear propaganda....duck and cover!